Pet Emergencies: Be Prepared

Do you think they got that good by just going out, hitting the road and trying their hands at what they do?

Of course not. They used a time-tested technique called preparation.

Many probably started out as Boy Scouts and subscribed to the Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared.

As a pet owner, you, too, should be prepared. Let’s talk emergencies.

Long before your pet has an emergency situation you should have an emergency plan.

If your pet’s emergency occurs during regular office hours you should start with a phone call to your regular veterinarian. Just as the Seals don’t blindly hit the road, neither should you. If you call ahead the doctor and his staff can be prepared for your emergency before you arrive. Further, they can let you know whether the doctor is available: he could be up to his elbows in surgery, deep in another emergency consuming all his resources or even off for the day.

In all of these scenarios your veterinarian has an emergency plan, too. His staff will be able to let you know whether he can handle both emergencies at once, or if he needs to send you to another doctor’s office for care you won’t have wasted time riding the roads.

If your community is serviced by a pet emergency facility for after-hours care, know their phone number and location.
See you tomorrow, Dr. Randolph.

About Doctor Randolph

Dr. James W. Randolph is a small animal veterinarian in Long Beach, MS.

A 1980 graduate of Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine his special interests are Dermatology and Internal Medicine at Animal General Hospital in Long Beach, MS. Other interests: he enjoys weekly teaching a Sunday School Class at a nearby nursing home and at church, singing in the choir in his Methodist church, furniture making and other woodworking and bass fishing.

He is married to the talented artist Brenda Randolph, and they enjoy visiting their children and grandchildren whenever possible. They are allowed to share their home with a sweet poodle, Willie and their precious cat, Maxx and kitten, Frida Kahlo.
They continue to cherish the memory of pets gone on: Sam and Blossum, Sally, Peyton, Pearl and Martha.